Space age model

ABSTRACT

A toy or amusement device that includes a member that resembles the moon or lunar surface, and wherein there is provided members under the control of the operator, the members resembling spacecraft such as a command module and lunar module that can be selectively linked up when the device is properly actuated.

United States Patent Lettieri Sept. 23, 1975 [5 SPACE AGE MODEL 3,540,137 11/1970 Branchu 272/31 A [76] Inventor: Frank A. Lettieri, 38 N. Bridge 3,762,702 10/1973 Keele ct al 46/77 Red Bank 0770] Primary ExaminerF. Barry Shay [22] Filed: Dec. 20, 1973 Assistant ExaminerRobert F. Cutting [211 App] NO 426 535 Attorney, Agent, or FirmVict0r J. Evans & Co.

57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 272/31 A; 46/77; 46/243 AV 1 V 51 1111. C1 A63h 13/20 A amusement dev'ce that a member [58] Field of Search 46/77, 243 AV; 272/31 A that resembles the moon or lunar surface, and wherein there is provided members under the control of the [56] References Cited operator, the members resembling spacecraft such as UNITED STATES PATENTS a command module and lunar module that can be selectively linked up when the device is properly actu- 2,896,368 7/1959 Higley 1. 272/31 A ated 2,907,569 10/1959 Taylor t 1. 272/31 A 9 3,373,505 3/1968 Tucker 272/31 A 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 1 of 2 3,907,285

US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 2 0f 2 AC R B0777 ELECTE/C SOUBCE SPACE AGE MODEL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to toys or amusement devices, and more particularly to a toy that resembles spacecraft in orbit around the moon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A toy or amusement device that resembles the movement of spacecraft about the moon and wherein the operator can control the movement of the lunar module and command module to cause these members to link up in a realistic manner simulating the actual movement of lunar and command modules in space.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a toy or amusement device that resembles actual flights by astronauts or the like in space so that users of the toy can cause movement of the parts in such a manner that docking and linking up of members such as a command module and lunar module can be controlled from a remote location such as a control box under the control of the children or other users of the toy.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a spacecraft toy that is rugged in structure and efficient in operation and which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and operate.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification, when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the spacecraft toy of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a vertical enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevational view, with parts broken away and in section, illustrating the magnetic means in the command module and lunar module.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral indicates the spacecraft toy of the present invention that is shown to comprise a suitable base indicated by the numeral 22, FIG. 2, and the base 22 may include a horizontally disposed platform 12 that is supported on legs 13, and mounted on the lower ends of the legs 13 are elements 14 that provide feet and the elements 14 may be in the form of suction cups to help maintain the device stabilized.

The numeral 15 indicates a control box that can be arranged at a suitable distance from the toy, and the control box 15 includes manually operable levers l6 and 17. The control box 15 may be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy by means of the line 18, or the control box 15 may be battery operated. The numeral 19 indicates a vertically disposed support member or post that extends through the platform 12 as shown in FIG. 3, for example, and mounted on the sup port member 19 is a spherical member 20 that has a configuration to resemble the moon, and the outer surface of the spherical member 20 may be suitably constructed as at 21, FIG. 2, to simulate the surface of the moon.

The numeral 23 indicates a first shaft that extends into the upper portion of the post or support member 19, and the shaft 23 has a cylindrical arm 24 affixed thereto. Lines 25 are connected to the outer end of the arm 24, and the lines 25 serve to support a command module 26. As shown in FIG. 5, the command module 26 may have a permanent magnet 27 therein for a purpose to be later described.

The numeral 28 indicates a second shaft that extends through the first shaft 23, and a cylindrical arm 29 is hingedly or'pivotally connected to the shaft 28 as at 30, FIG. 3. The numeral 31 indicates a thread or line that extends through the second shaft 28, and an end of the thread 31 is connected as at 32 to the arm 29. The numeral 33 indicates a swivel connection between the thread 31 and a corresponding thread 34, and the purpose of the swivel 33 is to prevent the parts from becoming twisted during rotation or movement of the device. The numeral 35 indicates a lunar module that has a tip 36 thereon for coaction with the magnetic member 27 of the command module 26 so that the parts can be made to link up when the toy is being used. The lunar module 35 is supported from the outer end of the arm 29 by means of a line 37.

'There is further provided a means for rotating the command and lunar modules as shown in the drawings. For example, a motor 38 may be provided for driving a small gear 39 that has its teeth meshing with the teeth of a gear member 40 that is mounted on the shaft 23, and the motor 38 may be connected into the electrical circuit by means of a wire or conductor 41.

Similarly, a small motor 42 may be fastened to the lower end of the post 19 as at 43, and the motor 42 can drive a small gear 44 which in turn drives a gear 45 on the lower end of the shaft 28. As shown in FIG. 4, suitable rheostats or transformer elements 46 can be provided for controlling the speed of rotation of the parts. The line 34 can be actuated to actuate the line or thread 31 whereby the lunar module 35 can be raised or lowered until the user causes the lunar module to be in the same plane as the command module 26 whereby the coacting magnetic portions 27 and 36 can be made to cause the command module and lunar module to link up in a manner resembling the actual operation of spacecraft in orbit around the moon member 20.

In FIG. 2, the numeral 47 indicates the floor surface, table top or other area or surface on which the toy 10 of the present invention is supported. In FIG. 3, the numeral 48 indicates bushings or bearings that may be provided for maintaining the parts in their proper aligned position.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided a toy that can be used in such a manner to simulate or resemble movement of spacecraft in orbit around the moon, and in use with the parts arranged as shown in the drawings, the levers 16 and 17 on the control box 15 can be suitably manually actuated in order to cause rotation of the shafts 23 and 28 due to the provision of the motors 38 and 42 with their corresponding parts such as the previously described ears. At the same time, the user can apply tension or relax pressure on the thread or line 31 and 34 so as to selectively raise the arm 29 about its pivot 30 whereby the lunar module 35 can be raised or lowered relative to the command module 26. It will be seen that when the lunar module 35 and command module 26 are in the same plane, and when the lunar module 35 and command module 26 are close enough together, the coacting magnetic elements 27 and 36 will cause the command module 26 and lunar module 35 to link up due to magnetic attraction whereby the user can accomplish the desired goal or purpose.

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in different shapes or sizes as desired or required.

It will be understood that the parts are adapted to be made in an attractive manner resembling actual objects in space. For example, the moon member 20 is adapted to have its outer surface 21 provided with indentations or raised portions 21 resembling craters and mountains or other surfaces on the moon. Simlarly, the members 26 and 35 are adapted to have a configuration that resembles the actual spacecraft or command module and lunar module that are placed in orbit around the moon.

In operation, the body member or post 19 houses two shafts 23 and 28 which turn one inside the other. Each shaft 23 and 28 has an electric motor geared to turn both shafts separately. The motors are run from a transformer or rheostat so as to give these motors speed control. The shaft 23 is started and set at the desired speed with the command module 26 hanging from its arm 24 thus allowing it to rotate around the moon 20. The shaft 28 with its arm 29 that has the lunar module 35 can be started and controlled by the operator to chase the command module around the moon. By increasing or decreasing his speed, he can link up with the command ship which will automatically come together, if he is on the right plane. In the nose of one module such as the module 26, there is a small magnet 27 that will grab the element 36 if the operator is operating the toy as a good astronaut. The thread 31 on the arm 29 controls the up and down movement of the moon module 35, and this thread runs through the shaft body to the control box. In the center of the shaft body attached to the thread is a swivel 33 that prevents the thread from twisting.

The control box may be placed a few feet away from the toy in order to permit the toy to be controlled from a distance.

The motors may either be controlled by a 110 volt system, or the toy can be controlled with inexpensive battery operated rheostats.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a spacecraft toy, a base, a vertically disposed hollow post connected to said base, a spherical member mounted on said post, a first hollow shaft mounted in the upper portion of said post and projecting upwardly beyond the top thereof, a second shaft extending through said first shaft and through said post, a first cylindrical arm having its inner end affixed to said first shaft, flexible lines depending from the outer end of said first arm, a first spacecraft element connected to said lines; a second cylindrical arm hingedly connected to said second shaft, a flexible line depending from said second arm and having a spacecraft element connected thereto for selective engagement with the first spacecraft element, a thread connected to said second arm and extending through said second shaft, means for actuating said thread for raising and lowering said second arm, and means for rotating said shafts.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spherical member resembles a moon having a lunar surface thereon.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spacecraft elements resemble a command module and a lunar module.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the means for rotating the shafts comprise motors, and gear means driven by said motors and operatively connected to said shafts.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, and further including means for selectively linking the command module and lunar module together when they are in the same plane.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the last named means comprises a magnet in one of the spacecraft elements.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, and further including a manually operable control box.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the control box is connected to an external source of electrical energy.

' 9. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the control box is energized by batteries. 

1. In a spacecraft toy, a base, a vertically disposed hollow post connected to said base, a spherical member mounted on said post, a first hollow shaft mounted in the upper portion of said post and projecting upwardly beyond the top thereof, a second shaft extending through said first shaft and through said post, a first cylindrical arm having its inner end affixed to said first shaft, flexible lines depending from the outer end of said first arm, a first spacecraft element connected to said lines; a second cylindrical arm hingedly connected to said second shaft, a flexible line depending from said second arm and having a spacecraft element connected thereto for selective engagement with the first spacecraft element, a thread connected to said second arm and extending through said second shaft, means for actuating said thread for raising and lowering said second arm, and means for rotating said shafts.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spherical member resembles a moon having a lunar surface thereon.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spacecraft elements resemble a command module and a lunar module.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the means for rotating the shafts comprise motors, and gear means driven by said motors and operatively connected to said shafts.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 4, and further including means for selectively linking the command module and lunar module together when they are in the same plane.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the last named means comprises a magnet in one of the spacecraft elements.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 6, and further including a manually operable control box.
 8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the control box is connected to an external source of electrical energy.
 9. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the control box is energized by batteries. 